


beaming with a little more than pride

by coffeeshopangel



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Brolin Week, M/M, ntas, this happened and you can't convince me otherwise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-29
Updated: 2013-07-29
Packaged: 2017-12-21 18:32:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/903484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeeshopangel/pseuds/coffeeshopangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened during/at the NTA's from the perspective of our favorite blonde haired babe - Bradley James.</p>
            </blockquote>





	beaming with a little more than pride

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Brolin Week on Tumblr and I just got around to transferring it to AO3.

Bradley was a goner the moment the announcer drawled out the four syllable name. He watched as Colin’s face burst open, laying all his emotions bare for the entire world to judge through television and Bradley’s heart skipped not only a beat, but ten. Not knowing any other way to express his happiness, other than the grin plastered to his face with something stronger than super glue, Bradley hit Colin lightly. A brush of his hand against Colin’s enormous suit, an arm slung around his best friend’s shoulders with the promise of an actual hug to come and pride pouring off Bradley in waves was what the camera broadcast throughout Britain’s national television channels and beyond. What the camera didn’t catch was the slight intake of Bradley’s breath, the flow of pure happiness coursing through his body and the heat flooding his body from contact with Colin – even if it was through two layers of clothing.

Vaguely, Bradley heard the applause erupting around him, and he pushed his way through the onslaught of emotions to regain control of his limbs and clap alongside Rupert, Alex, Tom and Eoin. Eyes never straying from his costar, Bradley waited as the ovation died down to cease his clapping and once silence fell, Colin started his thank you speech.

Hearing none of the catcalls, jeers or surprised whispers, Bradley’s ears tuned into Colin’s voice, thick with emotion and stumbling over the butterflies fighting their way from his stomach. The calm of his normal monotone was broken by the happiness flooding his Irish accent and Bradley’s heart pounded heavily against his ribcage, an unknown adrenaline racing through his veins. When Colin finished talking, it took Bradley everything in himself not to race backstage and squeeze Colin into a bear hug, whispering congratulations into his ridiculous ears. Yet Bradley remained in his seat for the remainder of the awards, sending a what-the-fuck-face to the camera after Downton Abbey beat Merlin, and clapping reservedly, in a way that was only polite.

After the show was finished, Bradley was all but craving a smile from Colin’s bright face, which was bound to be hiding backstage, in a secluded corner somewhere. Or so that was what Bradley thought until he got behind the stage. He looked everywhere he could think of; interview rooms, photo booth, food table, bar and with each new place that Colin was absent from, Bradley’s heart sank a little further. Making his way back to Alex and Eoin, Bradley sent one more dejected look around for the trademark raven black hair, before springing a smile onto his features and sauntering up to his fellow costars.

“I think I’ll head out,” Bradley said after a few minutes of idle chitchat, eyes continuously raking the floor for his best friend and coming up empty with each sweep of his blue stunners.

“Already?,” Eoin asked eyebrows raised into his nearly perfect hair, “But there’s free food!”

Alex rolled his eyes at Eoin’s retreating back, “He’s probably going to find more alcohol.” Alex stated before returning his bright blue gaze to Bradley’s face. Bradley’s traitor brain noted the resemblance between Alex’s blue eyes and Colin’s, until he looked closer and realized Alex’s were flecked with green whereas Colin’s were untarnished cerulean. “Have you seen Col? I’ve been looking all over for him, but I haven’t been able to find him.”

Bradley shook his head, heart drooping idiotically, “Knowing Colin, he’s probably off attracting all the ladies.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Alex said in all seriousness, in a way that left Bradley feeling like the Welshman knew more than he did.

Bradley looked away from the penetrating gaze that was nothing like Colin’s, shuffling his feet awkwardly before Alex broke the silence.

“If I see him, I’ll text you, how’s that?” Alex asked, “But something tells me Colin left a while ago.”

Bradley thanked him and turned to leave, slipping through the crowd of blurred faces, none of them the right shade of pasty. He hailed a cab, falling into the backseat and giving the cabbie his address. The weight of the night weighed down on Bradley’s bones and he stifled a yawn, yearning for his bed and a bottle of scotch. After the excitement of the night, the emotions that had been in full swing not an hour ago had died into a slow simmer at the base of his skull and bottom of his heart. There was a constant flickering feeling left, one that left Bradley cold and empty and yearning for something he knew he could never have. The silence in the cab was broken by questionable pop music strumming out of the speakers at the front of the taxi, and the sounds of the outside world; a world Bradley felt disconnected from. He watched the traffic fly by in a flurry of colors, lights and noises, though all he saw was Colin’s grin – bright eyes and the surprise wafting off his small town demeanor.

The cab stopped at his flat, Bradley thanked the man and tipped him heavily, listening to the sound of rubber on wet pavement as he made his way to the front door. The black dress shoes he bought for the occasion squelched loudly on the step, snapping him out of his trance-like state. He got out his keys, which jangled merrily in his hands and unlocked the door, and let it bounce off the interior wall before stepping inside and closing it.

It was only after Bradley shuffled his shoes off, limbs heavy with an unforeseen fatigue, that he felt the presence of someone else in the flat. Looking up, Bradley nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Colin leaning against the wall.

“Cols, Jesus Christ you-,” Bradley started to say but stopped the second he took in Colin’s appearance. His former perfect, jet black haired was mussed into disarray; his bowtie had disappeared from its place around his neck, exposing an open button and pale white skin. Bradley swallowed heavily, ripping his eyes from the patch of skin to look into Colin’s eyes. The blue was blown wide, replaced by dark pupil and a ragged sound escaped Bradley’s lips. “W-What are you doing here?”

Colin grinned, slow and easy. He took a few steps forward, rooting himself an inch from Bradley. Bradley looked into Colin’s face, from his dark eyes to the plush pink lips and lost himself. Gripping Colin’s biceps, he spun them around and backed Colin into the door. He felt Colin’s heart rate increase underneath his fingertips and touched their lips together, almost chastely. Colin’s hands tangled in his hair and Bradley moved one of his hands to grip Colin’s waist. Colin’s tongue ran over Bradley’s lower lip slowly, seeking entrance to his mouth, which Bradley greedily granted. They slotted together, hands roaming freely over each other, feeling and pressing and needing.

When they broke apart, Colin lay his forehead to Bradley’s and stared, his cerulean blue eyes boring into Bradley’s.

“I want you to realize,” Colin began, Irish accent dripping like molasses, “that when I won tonight, and you hugged me, that I never wanted to leave that heat. And when I went on that stage in front of all those people, all I could think about was you. And that by thinking about you, I was filled with such a heat and yearning and need and-,”

“You love me.” Bradley cut him off and Colin swallowed, but nodded gingerly. Slowly, a grin manifested on Bradley’s features, as the same heat Colin had just tried to describe warmed him from the tips of his toes, to the crown of his blonde hair. “Well, that’s nice, because I love you too.”

Colin laughed, breath stealing across Bradley’s face in a huff and Bradley suddenly remembered a much more pressing issue.

“I suggest we move this to the bedroom, Morgan.”


End file.
